Tear-off bag supply



Aug. 2', 1966 H. WARP TEAR-OFF BAG SUPPLY Original Filed Nov. 17, 1961.

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United States Patent 3,263,904 TEAR-OFF BAG SUPPLY Harold Warp, Chicago, 11]., assignor to Flex-O-Glass, Inc,

a corporation of Illinois Original application Nov. 17, 1961, Ser. No. 153,006, now Patent No. 3,194,124, dated July 13, 1965. Divided and this application May 4, 1964, Ser. No. 364,615

Claims. (Cl. 229-68) This application is .a division of my copending application, Serial No. 153,006, filed November 17, 1961, and now Patent Number 3,194,124.

This invention relates to bags and in particular .to bags arranged for facilitated dispensing.

Bags, such as for use by a housewife, have conventionally been provided as separate bags retained in a suitable container to be withdrawn by the housewife one at a time as desired. In one improved arrangement, the bags are arranged in a continuous strip to be torn seriatim therefrom. A serious problem arises, however, in such strip arranged bags, namely the difficulty of opening the bag torn from the strip as the confronting surfaces thereof are urged into facial engagement and resist separation, making it diflicult for the housewife to open the bag. This problem is aggravated where the bags are formed of a material such as polyethylene plastic having electrostatic characteristics causing adhesion of the confronting surfaces.

Another disadvantage of the presently known strip arranged b-ags is the formation thereof from tubular stock which is relatively costly and difiicult to control during the bag forming operations.

The present invention comprehends a new .and improved bag arrangement providing for facilitated opening of the individual bags subsequent to the dispensing thereof from the strip.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a bag arrangement wherein the portion of the bag to be opened by the user is serrated.

A further object is to provide such a bag arrangement wherein the portion of the bag to be opened by the user is provided with means presenting a different visual aspect from the remainder of the bag to facilitate finding of this portion by the user.

A still further feature of the invention is the provision of a new and improved bag structure for facilitated use as a garbage can liner.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

-FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the formation of a strip of plastic bags embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevation of the strip illustrating the facilitated dispensing of a bag therefrom;

'FIG. 3 is an elevation of a dispensed bag;

FIG. 4 is a transverse section taken substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken substantially along the line 55 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is an elevation of a modified form of bag embodying the invention providing for facilitated use as a garbage can liner.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as disclosed in FIGS. 1-5 of the drawing, an elongated plastic sheet 10 of a suitable material, such as polyethylene plastic, provided in the form of a roll :11 for forming a pair of ribbons 12 and 13 of seria-tim connected bags 14.

In illustrating the invention, an apparatus is shown for use in performing the different steps in the forming of the bags 14; it is to be understood that the apparatus 15 is exemplary only and variations of the mechanism illustrated may be employed for performing these steps. As shown in FIG. 1, the first step in forming the bags 14 comprises the application of a marking ink in the form of band 16 to the upper surface of the sheet 10. Illustratively, the band 16 may be applied by an inking roller 17 bearing against the upper surface of the sheet, the sheet being held by "a subjacent roller 18 bearing against the under surface of the sheet. A conventional ink delivery roller 19 may be employed for delivering ink to the inkin-g roller :17 in the conventional manner.

Subsequent to the placement of band 16 on the sheet, the sheet 10 is cut into two ribbons 20 and 21 by a pair of confronting serrated cutters 22 and 23 longitudinally aligned with the center of the sheet. Thus, the ribbons have either confronting edges 24 and 25 both inked and serrated when they pass from the cutters 22 and 23.

The next step in the forming of the bags 14 as illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises the folding over of the respective ribbons by suitable guides 26 and 27. As shown, the ribbons-are folded by the guides 26 and 27 along a line displaced from the longitudinal centerline thereof so that the edges 24 and 25 are displaced inwardly of the outside edges 28 and 29 of the ribbons.

From the folding guides, the folded ribbons are next passed to suitable means for bonding the sheets at longitudinally spaced intervals along transversely extending bands 30 thereby defining closed side portions of the successive partially formed bags. As indicated above, the sheet 10 may comprise a thermoplastic material such as polyethylene and, thus, the facial joining of the confronting surfaces of the ribbons to define the bands 30 may be effected by suitable heated cylindrical members 31 and 32 having projecting sealing ribs 33 circumferentially spaced corresponding to the desired bag Width.

From the band forming means, the ribbons are delivered to perforating means herein illnstratively comprising toothed cylinders 34 and 35 co-operating respectively with grooved cylinders 36 and 37. The teeth 38 of the cylinders 34 and 35 are arranged linearly transversely across the cylinders and the rows thereof are spaced circumferentially in accurate correspondence with the spacing of the ribs 33 of the rollers 31 and 32 so as to perforate the ribbons 20 and 21 on a line bisecting the bands 30 whereby one-half of each band 30 defines the closed side 38 of a preceding bag and the other half of the band 30 defines the closed side 39 of a succeeding bag. It should be noted that the mid-portion 40 of each bag 14 is spaced substantially from the bands 30 and the perforations 41 therein provided by the teeth 38 whereby the facially confronting portions of the bag may remain substantially free from surface engagement with each other at the edge 24 (25) assure a facilitated opening of the bag subsequent to its removal from the strip.

To assure accurate alignment of the perforations 41 and bands 30 and to provide synchronization of the apparatus 15 as a whole, suitable drive means, such as chain drives 42 and 43, may be provided for driving the apparatus 15 from a suitable drive means such as motor 44.

In utilizing the bags 14, the housewife as shown in FIG. 2 merely grasps the end bag and tears across the strip along the line defined by the perforations 41 to separate the end bag from the remainder of the strip. During this separating operation, the projecting edge portion 45 of the bag may be grasped, obviating gripping of the confronting surfaces of the mid-portion 40 of the bag thereby permitting the bag to remain open at the edge 24 (25).

The serrated arrangement of the edge 24 (25) facilitates the opening of the bag for insertion of material thereinto. The marking of the edge 24 (25) further facilitates the opening of the bag, particularly where the plastic material comprises thin transparent material such as conventional polyethylene sheeting.

Referring now to FIG. 6, a modified form of bag 114 is shown to comprise a bag generally similar to bag 14 but having an opening 146 therein permitting air topass therethrough. Thus, the bag 114 may be installed in a garbage can by inserting the bag coaxially therethrough and draping the upper end of the bag over the upper edge of the garbage can whereby the bag hangs downwardly therefrom to the bottom of the garbage can. When garbage is dropped into the bag, the bag enlarges laterally to accommodate the garbage and the air between the bag and the inner surface of the garbage can walls is displaced upwardly and outwardly through the opening 146. Thus, garbage may be added to the bag to substantially fill the entire interior of the can.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A bag comprising a sheet of transparent plastic material folded along a line extending longitudinally of the sheet and closely spaced from the longitudinal centerline of the sheet to define first and second facially juxtaposed portions, said portions being joined along their side edges, said bag being open at the end opposite said line, the end edge of the first of said portions of the sheet at said open end being spaced from said line less than the spacing of the end edge of the second of said portions at said open end, one of said end edges being arranged to be juxtaposed to the sheet portion carrying the other of said end edges, the transparency of said sheet material being such as to make the juxtaposed sheet edge substantially invisible when viewed against the sheet portion to which it is juxtaposed, and opaque means on said sheet at said open end for visually indicating the location of one of said edges to facilitate the manipulation of said indicated edge for spacing the sheet portions apart at said open end of the b-ag.

2. The bag of claim 1 wherein said indicating means comprises a band extending fully across said sheet to overlie said side edges of the bag.

3. The bag of claim 1 wherein said end edge of said first sheet portion is serrated and said indicating means overlies said serrated edge.

4. The bag of claim 1 wherein the end section of said second sheet portion defines a flap adapted to be folded to overlie said end edge of said first sheet portion and thereby close said open end of the bag and said indicating means is arranged to be viewable through said flap to indicate the edge location and thereby facilitate the manipulation of said flap to open the bag by unfolding the flap.

5. The bag of claim 1 wherein said first sheet is provided with an opening intermediate said indicating means and said folded line.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,092,969 9/1937 Gustadson 220-65 2,283,069 5/ 1942 Knuetter.

2,310,371 2/ 1943 Lines 229-85 2,671,602 3/ 1954 Vogt 229-53 2,776,085 1/ 1957 Furey 229-69 2,859,907 11/ 1958 McFarland 229-85 3,008,835 11/1961 Madding 229-69 X 7 3,045,891 7/1962 Alverez 229-69 F JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner. 0 FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner. 

1. A BAG COMPRISING A SHEET OF TRANSPARENT PLASTIC MATERIAL FOLDED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE SHEET AND CLOSELY SPACED FROM THE LONGITUDINAL CENTERLINE OF THE SHEET TO DEFINE AND SECOND FACIALLY JUXTAPOSED PORTIONS, SAID PORTIONS BEING JOINED ALONG THEIR SIDE EDGES, SAID BAG BEING OPEN AT THE END OPPOSITE SAID LINE, THE END EDGE OF THE FIRST OF SAID PORTIONS OF THE SHEET AT SAID OPEN END BEING SPACED FROM SAID LINE LESS THAN THE SPACING OF THE END EDGE OF THE SECOND OF SAID PORTIONS AT SAID OPEN END, ONE OF SAID END EDGES BEING ARRANGED TO BE JUXTAPOSED TO THE SHEET PORTION CARRYING THE OTHER OF SAID END EDGES, THE TRANSPARENCEY OF SAID SHEET MATERIAL BEING SUCH AS TO MAKE THE JUXTAPOSED SHEET EDGE SUBSTANTIALLY INVISIBLE WHEN VIEWED AGAINST THE SHEET PORTION TO WHICH IT IS JUXTAPOSED, AND OPAQUE MEANS ON SAID SHEET AT SAID OPEN END FOR VISUALLY INDICATING THE LOCATION OF ONE OF SAID EDGES TO FACILITATE THE MANIPULATION OF SAID INDICATED EDGE FOR SPACING THE SHEET PORTIONS APART AT SAID OPEN END OF THE BAG. 